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The Fifth Annual amfAR Milano Gala

Last night, amfAR Milano held its fifth annual gala at La Permanente. As guests rolled in (Juliette Lewis, Bianca Brandolini, and Karolina Kurkova among them), going through the flashing camera line, a beauty trend emerged: hair worn down, slicked back as if it was wet. Leading the way was Bianca, whose lacquered part and pin-straight hair was a chic complement to her black lace dress. Brandolini admitted that she’d been keeping up with Milan Fashion Week from the comfort of home (isn’t that what live streaming is for?) but was excited to attend her first show of the month today: Dolce & Gabbana. “It will be my first time wearing one of the mosaic dresses,” she said, citing the house’s fall Byzantine tile motif. “The dress is heavy, but when it’s on you don’t feel it. It’s too much a work of art!”

Kenneth Cole took to the podium and remarked on the many strides in AIDS research that have been made thanks to the support from amfAR. “I used to say that we still ‘am far’ from where we wanna be, but that usually doesn’t go over well,” he joked. After previewing an HBO documentary—The Battle of amfAR—about Elizabeth Taylor’s efforts as an AIDS activist, the auction began. Perhaps the most dramatic auction moment in gala history: the bidding war over a diamond-covered Hublot watch. Brandolini introduced the timepiece, and walked into the crowd to show it to Roberto Cavalli, whom Franca Sozzani was advising. There was a pause for consideration at 55,000 euros, before a rogue bidder at the back of the room chimed in. In the end, after much exclamation and Brandolini striding back and forth to show the watch, Hublot decided to donate another to the cause. Both Cavalli and his generous rival bid 100,000 euros for the pieces.

By the time Katy B took the stage, the diamond dust had settled, and guests took to the dance floor.